Madeleine Davis
Madeleine Davis is an American singer, songwriter and poet. Born and raised in Columbus, Georgia, Davis found fame in Europe as a singer in the pop bands La Mama and Boney M.. La Mama La Mama is a German pop and disco trio who worked in Frank Farian's studios in the first half of the 1980s. Adapting their name from New York theatre La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, they released three singles and two albums and worked as backing singers on a number of recordings for other artists. History The original members Madeleine Davis, Patricia Shockley and Kathy Bartney, all hailing from the United States of America, had settled in Germany in the late 1970s where they had done various session work. While singing backing vocals on ex-Silver Convention singer Ramona Wulf's album Shake What Yo Mama Give Ya, they were introduced to producer Frank Farian by guitarist Mats Björklund. He hired them for backing Precious Wilson on her debut album On the Race Track (1980) - at this time they had not yet adapted the collective name La Mama. Impressed with their harmonies, Farian also used La Mama to demo new songs for Boney M. - even doing one Boney M. recording, "Gadda-Da-Vida" with La Mama and himself doing all the vocals. Also several tracks on Boney M.'s 1981 album Boonoonoonoos ("Silly Confusion" in particular, "Don't Kill the World" and "Malaika") featured La Mama's uncredited backing vocals. While production on Precious Wilson's second album began late 1981, La Mama also commenced work on their first album, produced by Dietmar Kawohl and Mats Björklund. The Double A-side single "Elephant Funk" / "In and Out" was released in February 1982 ("In and Out" being the A-side on the 12" single) followed by a cover version of "Chanson D'Amour" a few months later. Neither single performed well commercially and the LP release was postponed. While Madeleine Davis had contributed lyrics for Precious Wilson's single "I Don't Know", the group also did backing vocals on Boney M.'s "Going Back West". When their third single was released in December 1982, a cover of Labelle's "Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi (Lady Marmelade)", lead singer Kathy Bartney had left the group after disagreements with Frank Farian, and when the group's LP Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec La Mama was released in January 1983, it sank without much notice. Meanwhile Farian started to use the vocals of singer Judy Cheeks - who had been signed to Ariola Records between 1977 and 1980. It must however be noticed that Judy Cheeks wasn't a member of La Mama. Farian just used her vocals on various projects together with Madeleine Davis and Patricia Shockley. Farian had Madeleine Davis and Patricia Shockley of La Mama together with Judy Cheeks record a medley of contemporary hits for an Aerobics album Aerobic Fitness Dancing with instructions by Sydne Rome - the album topped the German charts early 1983 and had Farian remix the album without Sydne Rome's vocals for an unsuccessful album project MAD - For Dancin' '' in the summer of '83. Also during 1983, La Mama once again contributed uncredited backing vocals to Boney M.'s seventh album ''Ten Thousand Lightyears on the tracks "I Feel Good", "Barbarella Fortuneteller" and "The Alibama". By the end of the year, Precious Wilson's final album for Hansa, Funky Fingers - a medley-album of popular R&B, soul and disco classics - was released. The first edition of the album credited just Precious Wilson while the second edition credited Precious Wilson & La Mama. Lacking any promotion by the record company, the album was unsuccessful and quickly disappeared. During 1984, La Mama backed Boney M. on the single "Happy Song" and participated as a part of Frank Farian Corporation on the benefit single "Mother and Child Reunion" early 1985. At this time ex-Silver Convention member Rhonda Heath stepped in for session work on Boney M.'s final album Eye Dance on which Madeleine Davis and Patricia Shockley of La Mama also took part. They sang the choruses on the tracks "Todos Buenos" and "Give It Up". Before the group finally split, Patricia Shockley and Rhonda Heath furthermore sang additional backing vocals on Far Corporation's hit single, a cover version of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven". In 1989, Madeleine Davis received a phone call by Boney M. member Maizie Williams who invited her to take the place of original lead singer Liz Mitchell who had just left the group. Davis appeared in the group's official video of "The Summer Mega Mix", toured extensively with the group and also sang on their 1989 single "Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker", not produced nor approved by Farian and subsequently withdrawn. Madeleine Davis now lives in Georgia, US, and works as a jazz singer. Debut in Boney M. "Children of Paradise" / "Gadda-Da-Vida" is a 1980 single by disco band Boney M. Intended to be the first single off the group's fifth album Boonoonoonoos (scheduled for a November 1980 release), the single was ultimately never included because the album release was delayed for one year. "Children of Paradise" peaked at number 11 in the German charts, whereas it became the group's lowest-placing single in the UK at number 66. Boney M. used the double A-side format in this period, typically with the A1 being the song intended for radio and A2 being more squarely aimed at discos. The sides usually were switched on the accompanying 12" single. "Gadda-Da-Vida" became a controversial Boney M. record since none of the original members sang on it. Because of a fall-out between producer Frank Farian and the group, he had session singers La Mama (Cathy Bartney, Patricia Shockley, and Madeleine Davis) sing the female vocals while he did the deep male vocals, as usual. The group only promoted it once on TV. Two different single edits were done of the full 9-minute version that appeared on the 12-inch single. "Gadda-Da-Vida" was the A-side in Japan. Only the French release correctly stated the song title as "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker "Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker" is a 1989 single by German band Boney M. Produced by Barry Blue and recorded by original Boney M. members Marcia Barrett, Bobby Farrell, Maizie Williams and singer Madeleine Davis replacing Liz Mitchell, the single was withdrawn when original producer Frank Farian claimed copyright to the name Boney M. and a court case followed. In France, the single was released credited to Bobby Marcia Maizie Matalyne. To benefit from the fuss that was stirred by the record, Farian rushed out the single "Stories" with a competitive line-up featuring original lead singer Liz Mitchell, Reggie Tsiboe (who replaced Farrell in the group from 1982–86) and two new girls. A tribute to famed singer and dancer Josephine Baker, the song featured lead and backing vocals by Marcia Barrett and a spoken part by Bobby Farrell. According to a now withdrawn biography by Marcia Barrett, the producers wanted to record Maizie Williams (who had never sung on Boney M.'s records) but try-outs proved unsuccessful. New member Madeleine Davis had another obligation when this song was recorded and couldn't be present in the studio when this was recorded—she did, however, add the chorus answer-back lines "Lose your self-control, feel it in your soul" etc. Bobby Farrell re-recorded the song for a 1991 single credited to Boney M. feat. Bobby Farrell since he won the rights to use the name Boney M. in the Netherlands where he lived. The title was changed simply to "Josephine Baker", and it was backed with the song "Shame And Scandal". The single was a charity single in support of The Josephine Baker Children's Foundation. Custer Jammin' The B-side track was a story about George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Madeleine Davis did the lead vocals although the key proved too low for her. Bobby Farrell did a spoken part, and Marcia Barrett backing vocals. Discography La Mama releases Albums * Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec La Mama (January 1983) * Funky Fingers (with Precious Wilson) (December 1983) Singles * "Elephant Funk" / "In and Out" (February 1982) * "Chanson D'Amour" / "I'll Be Your Woman" (April 1982) * "Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi (Lady Marmelade)" / "They Call You V.I.P." (December 1982) Boney M. Releases 7-inch singles *"Children of Paradise" (Farian, Reyam, Jay) – 4:40 / "Gadda-Da-Vida" (Ingle) – 5:18 (Hansa 102 400-100, Germany) *"Children of Paradise" (Final mix) – 4:28 / "Gadda-Da-Vida" (Final mix) – 5:05 (Hansa 102 400-100, Germany) 12-inch single *"Gadda-Da-Vida" (Long version) – 8:56 / "Children of Paradise" (12" mix) – 5:18 (Hansa 600 280-100, Germany) UK 7" * "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" – 3:37 / " Custer Jammin" – 4:15 (PWL PWS 004, 1989, withdrawn) 12" * "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (12" Mix) – 6:45 / "Custer Jammin" – 4:15 / "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (PWL PWCS 004, 1989, withdrawn) CD * "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (12" Mix) – 6:45 / "Custer Jammin" – 4:15 / "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (PWL PWCS 004, 1989, withdrawn) The Netherlands 7" * "Josephine Baker" (according to the label, cover says: "A Tribute To Josephine Baker" – 4:25 / Shame And Scandal – 3:51 (Music Productions BS 800 Stemra) External links *Biography and discography at Rateyourmusic.com * Rateyourmusic.com Category:German musical groups Category:1989 singles Category:Boney M. songs Category:1989 songs Category:Songs about dancing Category:Songs about actors Category:Cultural depictions of Josephine Baker Category:Pete Waterman Entertainment singles